Animal-crate.



PATENTED N0v.17, 1903.

No. 744,641. W'. A. STEWART.

ANIMAL CRATE.

APFLIUATION FILED APR. 9. 19'03.

N0 MODEL.

A AAA E wams PETERS cs vmoungur. wAsHxNcmn o c Y No. 744,641.

Patented November 17,1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. STEWART, OF WOLCOTTVILLE, INDIANA.

ANIMAL-CRATE.

SEECIFICATION- forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,641, dated November 17, 1903. application ned rpm 9.1903. l stanno; Itins. (Numan.)

To all inkom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A.VSTEWART,

a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Wolcottville, in the county of Lagrange and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Animal-Crate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.-

My invention relates to improvements in animal-crates; and the object that I have in view is to provide a simpleV and strong construction which may be used to contain a number of animals, such as hogs or pigs, said crate being equipped with a tray in which one animal at a time may be laid and held in a position convenient for operation, such as pulling a tusk from the mouth of a hog.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description, and the^novelty Will be defined by the annexed claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an animalcrate constructed in accordance with'my invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional ele.

vation taken longitudinally through the crate.

8 9.` The end portions of the top rails`8 9 are extended beyond the posts 7, and suitable tierods 10 connect the extended portions of the battons 6 and saidtop rails, said tie-rods being provided with nuts 11 at their upper ends, whereby the' rods may be tightened for the purpose of-binding the several parts of the crate together andfor contributing to the strength and stability of the structure. The posts 7 are provided with longitudinal rails 12, secured thereto in a suitable way, and the upper rails 12 lsupport transverse bars 13,

which are arranged parallel tothe top rails 8, said rails 8 and the `bars 13 being spacedl toprovide the openings orslots 14.

The bottom 5 is provided on its upper face with cleats 15, arranged in pairs and adapted to form grooves 16, which have registration vertically with the slots 14 in the top of the crate, andthese slots 14, with the grooves 16,

are adapted to receive theiend boards or gates 17 18, the latter being removably confined in positionat the end portions of the crate by the rails 8, the bars 13, and the cleats 15. Each end board or gate may be easily introducedinto the crate or withdrawn therefrom. I prefer to provide one end ofthe crate with vertical bars 19,-which are fastened to one of theY cleats 15 and one rail 8. (See Fig. 1.)

The gate 18 extends a suitable distance above the top of the crate, and in the upper edge of this gate is provided a'notch 20. (Also shown by Fig. l.)

21 designates a tray whichis adapted to rest on the middle cross-bar 9 and the bars 8 13. The bottom 22 of this tray is extended for a suitable distance beyond-the side walls of said tray, as shown at 23,v and this bottom is pivotally connected by a bolt to the crossrail 9, whereby the tray may be swung to one side of the crate or it may be adjusted to the position shown by Figs. 1 and2, wherein the tray is adapted to it in the notch 2O of the gate 18, thus assistingin holding said gate in place within the crate. The extended bottom of the tray 21 is provided with a series of apertures 24, into either of which may it a holding-pin 25,1which is attached to the bottom portion of a slidable end piece 26. This end piece is adjustable within the tray 21 to dierent positions for the purpose of varying the length of the space or chamber in the tray. The tray is provided Vat its other end with a permanent end wall 27, having a suitable opening 28 therein.

To use my improved crate, the end having the gate 17 is placed opposite tothe door of a sty or other suitable receptacle',"andthis gate 17 is withdrawn from thecrate by lifting it out of the groove 16 and the slot 14. The

animals confined in the sty or other receptacle may now be driven into the crate and when a sufficientl number shall have been gathered in said crate the gate 17 is replaced,

IOO

said gate being held firmly in place by the cleats and rails. The crate may noW be carried to any suitable place, and when it is desired to operate on the animals one of the doors is partly opened and the animal is Withdrawn by hand forcibly from the crate, the door` beingreplaced. The animal is now laid on its back in the tray 2l, the head of the animal being thrust through the opening 28 of the tray, while the end piece 26 is adjusted within the tray. according to the size of the animal held therein. By means of suitable implements the animal may be held by one man irmly Within the tray and the desired operation may be easily carried out-such, for eX- ample, as the extraction of a tusk from the animals mouth.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination with a crate, of a tray having an extended perforated bottom resting on said crate, one end of said tray being provided With an end wall having an opening, a pivotal connection between the tray-bottom and a part of the crate, and a slide member fitted adjustably in the tray and havingr a detachable interlocking` connection With the perforated bottom thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses. f

WILLIAM A. STEWART.

Witnesses:

ALVIN S. HARR, GEORGE W. SCHEFFLER. 

